


Bandages and Semi-Hot Soup

by AlissaShawWrites



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Aftermath of Torture, Canon Divergence - Post-Avengers (2012), Clint Barton & Loki Friendship, Clint Barton Is a Good Bro, Clint Barton-centric, Healing, Implied/Referenced Torture, M/M, Minor Clint Barton/Loki
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-10
Updated: 2018-08-10
Packaged: 2019-06-24 17:01:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,220
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15634920
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AlissaShawWrites/pseuds/AlissaShawWrites
Summary: After the events of Avengers, Clint is convinced that something is wrong with the God of mischief. He recounts details of something unsettling he saw while working under Loki and before he knows it, his views on the God change.





	Bandages and Semi-Hot Soup

"I don't like it any more than you do, but I'm telling you there's something not adding up here!" The voice of Clint Barton yelled over the bickering of a crowded boardroom. "I was there, okay? I know more than any of you do."

Nick furiously rubbed the bridge of his nose, "Agent Barton; with all due respect, you were under the influence of mind control. Anything you've seen or heard while in Loki's company is not trustworthy; questionable at the least and life-threatening at its worst. It was probably all lies. He could have made you think you saw anything."

“NO,” Clint screamed, slamming his fist down on the table. “That makes even less sense! Why would he make me remember all of the things I’ve seen?”

“Why are you defending him?”

"Because, well," he stuttered. In all honesty, he wasn't sure. He hated Loki. He loathed every fabric of his being for what he did. The attack on New York was one thing and using him to fight against SHIELD was another. Both of which, he held an incredible resentment about. However; he still knew that his own feelings should not be the reason for a man's execution if unwarranted. The things he remembered of his time with Loki were not things any true villain would show their minions.

Natasha; although not entirely convinced either, was trying to help Clint explain. “What did you see then? What was it that makes you so sure this wasn’t a trick?”

Clint sighed as the other furious individual settled back down into their seats to hear his story. “Fine, I’ll explain. But none of you are allowed to judge me for what happened, or what I did.” The others nodded. Knowing that his actions would not be held against him, he gathered all of his thoughts and began his retelling, “it all started after he took control of me. I was still conscious of course. I couldn’t control my own body but I was aware of what was happening. Not like on autopilot, more like when you tell a friend not to do something stupid but they do it anyway so all you can do is sit there and watch them do it. Your voice is heard but not understood, you know?

"He forced me to fight you, Nick, and the other agents just to escape with the tesseract. That part you know and it's pretty self-explanatory. But once we were out of there, it was totally different. He wasn't loud or aggressive. Christ, I've had friends treat me worse than he did when we were alone. It's like, as soon as the threat was neutralized, he disengaged. It was silent for most of the drive. He barked out a few orders every now and again, but it wasn't what you'd expect. Just a ‘turn here' or a ‘confirm that we are not being followed,' kind of thing. I think he even fell asleep a few times while we were travelling."

Nick wasn’t impressed. “What does that have to do with anything, Barton? Hostile takeovers are exhausting; even for gods. The adrenaline must have been wearing off.”

Clint shook his head; getting angry again. “No. No, this was so much more so if you’d just let me finish,” he spat.

“Fine. Carry on.”

"Thank you," he nodded. "When we started building the machine to open the portal, that's when I really knew something was off. He went in and out of being aggressive. Sometimes when holding the sceptre it's like a wave of anger hit him. The most confusing was when he'd talk to himself. Actually, I don't think he was speaking to himself, I think he was communicating through the sceptre. It would glow and he would speak as if addressing someone. But not as a colleague or even an equal. He spoke to them like I spoke to him. A man following orders."

Tony leaned forward. “So what you’re saying is that he is not the mastermind behind it? That doesn’t exactly change much. He still willingly-”

“I don’t think it was willingly done. He was afraid when he talked to them.” Clint paused, trying to remember details, to distinguish fact from fiction. “I was the only one allowed close to him. I could be wrong but I think that he felt safer with me around. He was constantly flinching at normal sounds and other agents.”

Thor crossed his arms, seeming unimpressed. "It must have been a trick then," he stated bluntly. "My brother is afraid of nothing and no one. He has faced the threat of death numerous times and in each instance, he barely batted an eye. He let himself fall into the abyss with no thought or hesitation. I don't know what he could have hoped he would gain out of faking fear, but a trick is the only logical reason for that type of behaviour."

Clint stood up from the table and over to the two-way mirror. On the opposite side sat the God of Mischief, himself. The entire time he had been sitting there motionless in Clint's peripheral vision. Never moving, never blinking. He just sat on the cold metal bench with his mouth gagged and wrists bound; staring blankly at the floor. "Is this normal, Thor?"

"Is what normal?" He followed Clints steps over to the mirror. Still, Loki didn't stir. "He seems a bit tired, I suppose. But a battle will do that. Even a good warrior can admit to the exhaustion that befalls a man who's lost a war."

"No, the way he acted after we caught him. Did he not seem like he was giving up. He didn't strike me as the type of man to give in even when backed into a corner."

“It was most likely the injuries inflicted upon him by the Hulks attack. He was too injured to fight back.”

That's when the gears in Clint's mind began to pick up steam. He could finally pinpoint the part of the story that made him uneasy. The reason he didn't feel right and the reason he wouldn't let them just take Loki away. Slowly he raised one hand to the mirror; balling it into a fist, and tapping it light enough to make a sound on the other side, but not be an overpowering noise. Regardless of the volume, Loki finally moved, flinching away from the sound; shutting his eyes as tight as they would go, starting to shake slightly.

“He fought through the other injuries he had and they were much worse.”

Thor's arms lowered from being crossed across his chest to hanging limply at his sides. “What injuries?”

“When he came through the portal he already had injuries. I guess I didn’t think much of it at the time with the mind control focusing me on helping him escape with the tesseract.” Clint watched as slowly Loki recovered from the brief moment of panic. He moved back to the same position he had been sitting uninterruptedly motionless until Clint had disturbed him. His eyes flickered up to the mirror a few times, unknowingly meeting Clints.

“Like what?” Thor's voice quivered. 

"I don't know the extent of them but he was limping, sometimes wined when he'd raise his arms, almost passed out more than once. I think the most I saw was when I had news for him. I walked in without knocking and he was furiously wrapping himself in bandages. The only thing I could see was his torso. His chest and back had these… points. Marks of some sort that I can't really place. The best way to describe it was like he had been stabbed by hundreds, maybe thousands of thin spikes.

“He was bleeding; didn’t notice me standing there. I-I wanted to help my ‘master,’ so I did the only thing I could think of. I walked over and started cleaning the wounds. He wasn’t cleaning them himself, just bandaging them haphazardly. He didn’t like it but he didn’t stop me either. I think that was the only time he yelled at me while I was under his control but he still let me do it.”

Thor placed a hand gently on the shoulder of the archer. “What after that? Did he tell you anything?”

“That he was hungry. He asked where he could get food without anyone seeing. So I made him soup. I always keep a SHIELD rations pack on me when I’m on missions so when Nick called me in on tesseract protection, I brought it with me. It wasn’t the best can of soup, and it was barely warmed by a small fire I made out of scraps and a few matches but it was something, and he was grateful.” 

The room grew silent as the heroes looked around at each other. Clint was still staring at the chained God on the other side of the wall. “I’m not saying he’s guiltless,” he sighed. “I can’t prove anything and I don’t even know if I can trust my own senses but I don’t believe that Loki was the mastermind. I believe he was being controlled just like me.”

Thor nodded, “I will remember that, Barton. Thank you. It gives me hope that perhaps he’s not as far gone as I thought he was. I will make sure your story is told to my father before he decides on a punishment. Perhaps if he can confirm it to be true, we can find who did that to him. I dare say I have a few choice… words, for them.”

Tony stood up as well, "I think I might too. At least if you're starting a hostile takeover, do it yourself. Well, let's get him back to Asgard. I trust your father will take care of him and do what's best."

“Of course he will.” 

They all left to start the preparations for Thor and Loki's return home but Clint took a different turn. He stayed back until the group were down the hallway and out of sight. All of them noticed his sudden disappearance but let him do what he wished before he lost the chance. Slowly he unlocked the cell door and stepped inside. 

Loki’s eyes darted over to him but his composure stayed the same. “I just wanted to speak to you once before you go. If I take off the muzzle, will you speak? No one is listening in.” The God thought about it before he started to nod. He unlocked the muzzle.

“What is it my little Hawk? Are you going to miss me?”

“I just want to tell you that I’ve told them everything about my time with you.”

Loki shrugged and shined his signature smirk that was far too happy for his current situation. "I imagined you would. I must admit that I'm impressed with you. From what I've heard, the sceptres powers are strong and intrusive. Essentially rage and madness-inducing. To see you recover so fast and well; well that proves what I saw in you. A strength I can only imagine."

Clint ignored the praise. “I told them everything. Including the injuries.”

His smile faltered and sighed deeply, “did you have to do that? I’m sure I will never hear the end of this.”

“They don’t think you’re as bad as before.”

“Wonderful,” he rolled his eyes.

“Was it you?” Loki’s face crinkled in confusion. “Was it you in control? Did you do that of your own free will?”

“You won’t like my answer, Hawk.”

“Try me.”

“I was aware,” he shifted uncomfortably. “I controlled my movements and actions. I did what I wanted. However; I did not necessarily have the right thoughts in my mind. I won't pretend to be innocent and I don’t think you want me to be anyway. What fate waits for me is what I deserve.”

“It might not be as bad as you think. Your brother said he’s going to talk to your father.”

“Not my father,” he muttered.

“Hm?”

“Nothing. I suppose I should thank you.” He eyed the still open cell door that Clint had entered from. “But I think it wise to put that godforsaken device back on me. They’ll be back soon.” He stood, dragging the chains off of the floor. “They’re coming back and I must return to Asgard.”

Clint stared at the muzzle in his hands. “No,” he put bluntly. “You’re the God of lies. It’s too cruel to take your voice away. I’ll let Thor deal with you talking.”

"Merciful," he laughed. For some reason, the laugh pleased Clint and he made his way back out of the cell, leaving his back to the man who could easily use this as his chance to escape, but no attack came so Clint kept walking. He didn't know why but he left the door open and unlocked, as well. It didn't matter to him. Whatever happened, happened. It was up to someone else.

He never saw Thor and Loki leave but something in him told him that, that day in the cell was not the last he had seen of either Norse Gods. Until that time, he let his life go back to normal and allowed the events of the attack fade from his mind as best as he could.


End file.
